Virtual wardrobe apps including Whering, Indyx, Combyne, 30 Wears and Good on You have been gaining traction in recent months.

With 1990s fashion back on-trend, it is perhaps not a surprise that the idea of a digital wardrobe as seen in the 1995 teen movie Clueless, has also been resurrected.

In the film main character Cher Horowitz uses software on her computer to not only select an outfit based on items in her wardrobe, but also to virtually ‘try on’ the look before she gets dressed.

In May 2024, social wardrobe and styling app Whering said it had been downloaded 4m times in the three years since its launch. In 2023 it saw a 40% increase in the number of moodboards created by its members and a total of 4m outfits throughout the year.

Outfit creation app Combyne says it has 4,500 new members sign up and 10,000 items of clothing uploaded each day.

At a time when many consumers are cutting their budgets and looking to buy fewer items of clothing – whether for financial or environmental reasons – it makes sense that virtual wardrobes are becoming an alternative to real-world shopping.

Cutting costs during periods of high inflation

One of the biggest motivations for virtual wardrobe users is the need to reduce their spending on clothing.

“These apps allow consumers to log their wardrobes virtually, build outfits and gain insights into their wearing patterns, helping shoppers to avoid impulse purchases and drive down the cost per wear of the clothes they already own,” GlobalData apparel analyst Louise Deglise-Favre explains.

The 30 Wears app, as the name suggests, challenges its users to wear every piece of clothing they buy at least 30 times and helps them track each item's usage, reducing the cost-per-wear.

Users get notifications to remind them when they haven’t worn an item in a while, alongside styling suggestions.

Using technology to tap the timeless trend

Virtual wardrobes also tap into the current trend for more classic and timeless styles that can be worn more often as they are seen as suitable for many occasions. The trend has seen many shoppers look for capsule wardrobes.

“Virtual wardrobe apps, like Whering and Indyx, aim to help consumers make the most of their existing closets by providing them with insights on how much they wear each item, as well as data concerning their colours, fits and size preferences to help guide smarter purchases in the future,” Deglise-Favre says.

Earlier this year, the trend was seen at British retailer Marks and Spencer, which found success in offering more timeless styles.

At the time, GlobalData associate apparel analyst Alice Price told Just Style: “The retailer’s continued focus on classic styles has enabled it to benefit during the cost-of-living crisis as shoppers seek versatility from their wardrobes.”

Solving consumers' environmental concerns

Many consumers are also turning to virtual wardrobe apps due to fashion sustainability concerns.

The 30 Wears app claims the fashion industry is responsible for “20% of global wastewater, 10% of global carbon emissions and describes textile dyeing as the second largest polluter of water globally”.

This is cited as a main motivator for its users as they want to increase the use of their existing wardrobe and ask themselves if they would wear a new item at least 30 times before purchasing.

Deglise-Favre adds: “The Good On You app offers a slightly different approach, allowing users to upload pictures of items they own or want to purchase, then suggesting similar alternatives from sustainable brands, which it has ranked according to their labour standards, environmental responsibility and animal consciousness,”

The limitations of current technology

One of the biggest concerns for virtual wardrobe users is the amount of time it takes to catalogue and upload items from their physical wardrobes into the apps.

Deglise-Favre suggests AI could be used to help streamline this process and offer free styling advice.

Integration between shopping sites and the apps themselves could also help consumers upload new items more seamlessly as they make new purchases.

How can fashion brands tap into this trend?

“Fashion retailers and brands should monitor the development of these apps and potentially partner with them to be featured in personalised shopping guides for users,” Deglise-Favre suggests.

“They could also benefit greatly from accessing the data collected by these apps, since it would give them valuable insights into consumer preferences, but sharing this data with brands for commercial purposes would be contrary to the ethical principles of these apps, which aim to reduce consumption, not encourage it.”